Applications

A student must make an application to be eligible and entitled to get a Student Loan. The application must be on a form approved for the purpose and submitted to MSD.

An application establishes the intent to apply for a Student Loan. Seeking information about eligibility or entitlement, including completing the online eligibility tool, is not making an application.

MSD can require an applicant to provide information or evidence necessary to establish eligibility and entitlement. If an applicant refuses to provide any necessary information the application remains incomplete and then lapses at the end of the study period.

When an application has lapsed or been declined, and the student subsequently wants to test their eligibility or entitlement for a period of study covered by the lapsed or declined application, or any later period of study, they must make a new application.

For more information see:

The date of application for a Student Loan is the date the application is received by MSD.

Students are encouraged to submit their applications well before the start date of their course or when they would otherwise become eligible and/or entitled, even if they do not have all the required information or evidence available.

For Living Costs, the date entitlement begins is the Monday of the week that a student's course starts when an application has been received in that week or before that week.

When an application is received after that week, entitlement begins from the Monday of the week in which it is received.

For Living Costs, the date of entitlement for a change in circumstances begins from the Monday of the week in which the students' circumstances change.

For Compulsory Fees, entitlement can begin before the course start date if all the Loan Contract requirements have been met.

For Course Related Costs, entitlement can begin before the course start date if all requirements have been met.

For Living Costs, the date entitlement ends (if not lost earlier) is either:

• on the Sunday of the last week in which the last examination of that course is held or
• on the Sunday of the week during which the study ends, if that study ends without an examination

For more information see:

For Compulsory Fees, entitlement to a payment generally ends after the course end date. However, payment can occur after the course end date if in all the circumstances of a particular case it would be reasonable.

For Course Related Costs, entitlement to payment generally ends after the course end date. However, payment can occur after the course end date if in all the circumstances of a particular case it would be reasonable.

Where an application is received after the week in which the course start date occurs, Living Costs are generally only paid from the Monday of the week the application was received.

However payment may be made from an earlier date provided there are special circumstances that warrant an extension of the time for making an application.

If special circumstances exist, the revised entitlement date will be the Monday of the week that the application would have been received. This date cannot be any earlier than the Monday of the week in which the course of study commenced.

For Compulsory Fees and Course Related Costs, entitlement and therefore payments are for the period of study the application relates to. An application received after the course end date should be declined, unless special circumstances exist.

The special circumstances exception is an exercise of discretion.

Special circumstances may include:

• Did MSD significantly contribute to the delay or reason for not making an application?

Do notes or correspondence indicate that the student was misinformed, or was there an unacceptable delay in providing information, advice or material to the student.

• Was there a significant event that contributed to the delay in not making an application?

Medical - accident or health issues

Family - family breakdown or illness in the family

Civil Emergency

• Does the student have a significant psychological, physical or intellectual impairment that contributed to the delay?
• Does the student have a significant language barrier that contributed to the delay?

Special circumstances are situations that are beyond the student's control. Each case must be considered on its merits.

For more information see:

Any information or evidence required as part of an application must be provided before the end date of the course of study to which the application relates, unless there are special circumstances that justify a delay in providing the information.

A later date must be specified and advised to the student.

A decision to allow further time to provide information or evidence must include a new deadline for providing the information or evidence.

Agreeing that special circumstances exist is an exercise of discretion.

An applicant must not be awarded a Student Loan if they do not provide the required information or evidence, or they provide it after the required date.

The requirement for an applicant to sign their application fulfils two purposes:

• it assists in ensuring MSD can identify who is making the application and
• it is part of the declaration by the applicant that they have read and understood the information on the form, including any obligations they have agreed to, and the information they have provided is to the best of their knowledge, true and correct

When a student submits an application online, they are undertaking an electronic transaction using an electronic signature.

RealMe is a digital signature. It is a type of electronic signature that provides MSD with certainty the person using the digital signature is who they say they are.

It is also part of the declaration by the applicant that they have read and understood the information on the form, including any obligations they have agreed to, and that the information they have provided is to the best of their knowledge, true and correct.